Emergency Dentistry – Parma Heights, Ohio

Relieve Pain & Renew Your Smile

When a dental emergency strikes, knowing exactly where to turn for help can dramatically improve a painful and stressful situation. If you live in Parma Heights or any of the surrounding communities, we hope you’ll call the Advanced Dental Center. Our team of skilled professionals offer emergency dentistry services on the same day patients contact our Parma Heights dental office whenever possible. If we can’t see you immediately, we’ll be happy to walk you through first aid steps and pain management techniques over the phone. You can also find some simple at-home care techniques outlined below.

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

The first thing we recommend for patients experiencing dental emergencies is taking a moment to breathe deeply and assess the situation. If the pain or damage are severe, have a friend or family member take a look. Then, call our dental office. We’ll walk you through caring for your smile until you arrive in our practice, but you can also find some basics on this page.

Toothaches

To relieve toothache pain or sensitivity to heat and cold, take over the counter pain relievers as directed. You can also apply topical numbing ointments, but don’t position an aspirin directly onto the tooth as this may actually damage the soft tissue. If your toothache is also accompanied by lingering sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages, you may be in need of a root canal. While this procedure has a reputation for being painful, it can actually significantly reduce discomfort and save a tooth that might need to be extracted.

Chipped/Broken Tooth

If you’ve chipped, cracked, or broken a tooth, take care to cover any sharp edges to avoid damage to surrounding teeth or soft tissue. You can do this using orthodontic wax available in any local pharmacy. If you’ve lost large pieces of the tooth, recover them carefully and bring them with you to the appointment. If your soft tissue is bleeding, bite down on gauze or clean cloth to slow the blood flow. You can also place an ice pack to relieve pain, avoid inflammation, and slow bleeding.

Knocked-Out Tooth

If you’ve lost a tooth, try your best to replace it into the vacated socket as this increases the chances that we’ll be able to save the damaged tooth. If you’re unable to replace the knocked out tooth, store it in a container of milk or water to keep it safe until you reach our dental office.

Lost Filling/Crown

As is the case with a lost tooth, a knocked out dental restoration should be replaced if possible. A filling may be too small to replace, but a dental crown, bridge, or other restoration can usually be put back in position over the damaged tooth. You can apply a small amount of denture adhesive to hold the restoration in place. If you can’t replace the restoration, retrieve it and bring it along to your appointment.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Not all dental emergencies can be avoided. Accidents just happen despite our best efforts. However, there are some steps you can take to minimize the risk, including:

Brushing teeth for two minutes at a time twice day

Flossing teeth at least once each day

Visiting our dental office at least twice a year for exams and teeth cleanings

Using mouthguards as directed to protect teeth from potential damage during athletic competition or from nighttime teeth grinding and clenching

Avoid using teeth as tools to open packages

Stop chewing fingernails, ice, or other hard objects

The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies

The cost of restoring your smile after a dental emergency will vary depending on what treatment you need to repair your smile to optimal health and function. In most cases, dental insurance will help to offset the costs associated with these treatments, and our team will assist you in minimizing your out of pocket costs and applying for low or no interest financing when necessary.